What is the best way to get to Keflavik Airport by bus? And how much does it cost to rent a car?
Car rental
Most travellers heading to Iceland rent a car simply because you won't be able to see Iceland without a car. The vast majority of the natural sights are missed by regular buses, and if they do, they only run a few times a week. Tourist buses, on the other hand, are 3-4 times more expensive than renting a car with petrol.
If you're travelling with more than one person, rent a car directly at the airport, where most Icelandic rental companies are based.
A week's rental in the summer season costs around 480 eur, in winter also under 250 eur.
If you're travelling alone, it may be worth hiring a car as far away as Reykjavik, where prices tend to be better, but the cost of a bus ticket is so high (see below) that it usually wipes out the difference.
For full information on travelling by car around the island, read our article Car rental in Iceland.
Bus
The bus journey to central Reykjavik takes around 45-60 minutes and there are three companies on the route, but ticket prices are so high that it's almost always worth hiring a car:
- Line 55: Straetó's regular public transport line runs to the airport. Buses run from about 6:30am to 11pm every hour and the journey to the city centre takes about 70 minutes. However, unlike the ones mentioned below, it also stops at villages along the way. This bus is the cheapest way to get to Reykjavik, a ticket costs 1 960 isk. Timetables and other information can be found on the transport company's website at straeto.is/route-55, tickets can be bought from the driver and can be paid for with a card.
- Gray Line Airport Express: runs approximately once or twice an hour from 5:00 to 16:30 in the outbound direction and, depending on arrivals, in the inbound direction. Tickets cost 2 819 isk, round trip approx. 5 070 isk. Total ride time is about 45 minutes. More information can be found on the company's website or at terravision.eu,
- Flybus: this service also runs once or twice an hour in the outbound direction from 4:30 to 21:45, and in the inbound direction about 35 to 40 minutes after each arrival. Tickets cost 3 500 isk, return 6 500 isk. Timetable and online ticket purchase at re.is.
To the Blue Lagoon
In case you are just changing planes at Keflavík Airport but have a lot of time, you can head to the famous geothermal spa Blue Lagoon. If you're travelling with more than one person, it's worth renting a car for even just one day at prices around 55 eur.
There are buses to the lagoon run by Airport Direct at prices around 7 000 isk / return ticket, see information on the website airportdirect.is/blue-lagoon-transfer.
